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I have a question and was wondering if any of you had a good way around it.

On some Dell machines they seem to not send out a windows cd and say that if you need to reinstall or fix anything the windows cd is installed entirely on your HD.

I work for a major computer manufacture and we have our *own* recovery software as well. We do not send out 'windows cds'. It's OEM baby Also, all software is intergrated into the system. Meaning, when your 'hard drive' fails, crashes, display errors, (no os found, smart failure, etc...) or just make loud noise when powering on your system *it's your job* to 'create recovery cds'. All Manufactures when you buy a brand new desktop/notebook it will display a message in the windows notification area for at least 30 days, for the customer, saying 'please create recovery cds? (you get the idea)

Now that just seems like a stupid idea since if something really bad happens and your system crashes how do you get it back up and running w/o the Windows cd?

It's a not a stupid idea is a very intelligent idea. Heres why,

1.) Money saver for company.

2.) Money Maker for company (hey we have a parts department where you can purchase 'recovery cds') trick is, you can make your own no need to purchase them.

3.) Now the important one, how to get it back up? Since the software is already intergrated into the system all you usually have to do is

Press one of the F1 through F12 our company is (f8) keys, on the keyboard. This should trigger the 'recovery software' from there you can reformat system and get it 'up and running' properly.

That's why alot of people erase their partitions and install Windows fresh on their computers with their own copy.

That is not strictly true as it goes.

1. Most sizable corporates or other institutional users will do this. They have their own standard deployments, and this is what they install. Their users have no need for the OEM eyecandy or a recovery partition................hell, they have a professional support team to back them up, and all their work is on a server.

2. Most home users buy a PC just like they were getting a TV or a microwave or a fridge..................and they use them accordingly; like just as they came out of the box.

3. People who know what they are doing will build their own kit. If they get second user stuff they will treat it just the same and install their own software onto a clean drive.

4. Intermediate users will go to a small OEM and get the system built to their requirements.

I build OEM kit and all my stuff comes with a complete (OEM) edition of the OS. This is the same as the retail version, but does have some DRM restrictions

If I buy a new laptop with XP Pro, it will come with a manufacturer-specific version i.e. it will have extras that the manufacturer wants me to have, along with a recovery disk. There's a Microsoft sticker under the laptop with a product key.

If I buy a standard XP Pro with it's own product key, can I use the CD that I've bought in association with the product key that came with the laptop? As far as I know, it will install correctly but is there anything illegal about this?

Similarly, if a friend has a new laptop (with XP Pro) and wants to go through the same process, can I use my new "plain" XP Pro installation disk in association with their product key?

If this is all OK, I will still have an unused product key (that came with the installation disk that I bought) so I guess I could use that to install XP Pro onto a different PC that ran a different OS previously.

I stress that I've not done any of this, I just want to get straight exactly what I can and can't do. I suspect that the legal issues surrounding these installlation disks and product keys are very complex and I'd like to have it clear in my mind.

If I buy a new laptop with XP Pro, it will come with a manufacturer-specific version i.e. it will have extras that the manufacturer wants me to have, along with a recovery disk. There's a Microsoft sticker under the laptop with a product key.

If I buy a standard XP Pro with it's own product key, can I use the CD that I've bought in association with the product key that came with the laptop?

No you cannot. The 25 digit product key code on the bottom of the notebook is (OEM)completey different than a standalone version of windows XP pro you would buy from best buy for example.

Similarly, if a friend has a new laptop (with XP Pro) and wants to go through the same process, can I use my new "plain" XP Pro installation disk in association with their product key?

If you do a 'clean install' as they call it, it will void your warranty for your/friends notebook.

Everything you need to fix your desktop/notebook is all intergrated into the system. Meaning, there is no need to purchase extra windows cds, or recovery cds all you are doing is waisting your money.

If you create recovery cds before anything bad happens to your system (hdd for example) then your not SOL.

We install and intergrate the software into the system for this very reason.

If you do a 'clean install' as they call it, it will void your warranty for your/friends notebook.

You sure about that? I routinely work rollouts where the customer's installing their own images on newly leased PC's. I doubt it affects their warranty. Might read the fine print (or consult your attorney).

Similarly, if a friend has a new laptop (with XP Pro) and wants to go through the same process, can I use my new "plain" XP Pro installation disk in association with their product key?

I've done exactly that with different versions of Windows, and it often works. What's the problem? Does MS's license tie a product key to a specific install media?

If this is all OK, I will still have an unused product key (that came with the installation disk that I bought) so I guess I could use that to install XP Pro onto a different PC that ran a different OS previously.

I've done exactly that with different versions of Windows, and it often works. What's the problem? Does MS's license tie a product key to a specific install media?

Be careful here.............you have two contracts, one with Microsoft and one with the OEM.

If you remove the OEM software you will have invalidated your software warranty. If you then go to Microsoft they will see that it is an OEM key and will tell you to go to your OEM provider for help.

They will support (to some extent) store bought OEM disk installations such as I sell, but not those from the "big boys". This is part of the business model. I would guess that the "big boys" are paying a third or maybe less than what I do.

As for the media, it shouldn't matter...............MS are licensing you to use software not selling you a coaster So, if you use any disk to do a repair, you should be OK as you have licenced software.

I have found that to be a pain with some CD/DVD devices that ship Nero, but only for that particular device................even two bought at the same time wouldn't accept the other's CD

As far as installing a normal version of XP Pro onto my laptop's concerned, I'm not bothered about the warranty but I am concerned that the product key that came with the laptop won't work with an ordinary XP Pro installation disk. In effect, there would be an extra operating system licence which makes the laptop licence redundant. I realise that it would be my choice, but I don't want a system that's bloated with manufacturer-specific software. If only computer manufacturers supplied "bare" computers so users had the option of installing what we want. I know that linux is a popular operating system that folks install. I suppose (hope) it will only be a matter of time before this becomes an option for everyone, as opposed to the relatively small number who are capable of building a system from scratch.

One final point - if the purchased XP Pro disk is OEM, rather than retail, would that work with the product key that's on the laptop? Computernerd22 implies that any XP Pro OEM product key will work with any XP Pro OEM installation disk and that any XP Pro retail product key will work with any XP Pro retail installation disk but it's not possible to mix OEM and retail product keys and disks. Have I got that right?

You sure about that? I routinely work rollouts where the customer's installing their own images on newly leased PC's. I doubt it affects their warranty. Might read the fine print (or consult your attorney).

I know for a fact the computer company I work for if the customer gets rid of our software that came with their brand new notebook/desktop and they decide to get rid of it, and install their *own* version of windows xp, then yes, it will void their warranty with us.

We do not assist nor troubleshoot 'clean installs' theres a reason for it.

Computernerd22 implies that any XP Pro OEM product key will work with any XP Pro OEM installation disk

i didnt imply anything like this, go back and re-read my reply.

As far as installing a normal version of XP Pro onto my laptop's concerned, I'm not bothered about the warranty but I am concerned that the product key that came with the laptop won't work with an ordinary XP Pro installation disk

Your backwards. You don't care about your warranty, but your care about a 25 digit prodcut key code that doesnt hold any value. (much like your warranty for your system). You won't be saying that 'I dont care about my warranty,' when your MOBO goes out or you have a cracked LCD screen or a fan went out for example. Wait until they charge you for it, then for shipping and handling. I don't think the 25 digit product key code will 'assist' you there.